Familialis Pacti
by penmom
Summary: In the days before the Cullens face the Volturi, they seek to gain additional power along with their search for wittnesses.
1. Chapter 1

Familialis Pacti

By Penmom

Chapter 1

A.N. – We start with a glimpse into Bella's mind in the months after she is turned.

BPOV

It is different than I thought it would be - being a vampire. I sometimes wonder if Edward intentionally kept it the sheer wildness from me but then I think no. No, of course not remembering his hesitancy, his lack of trust in himself.

I wonder at it - this wildness as I call it.

I wonder at all of them and at how they keep it under control day end and day out. Only with Jasper, do you really see the control, the struggle in his eyes. It's like they are all gifted with this monumental self-control. Then I remember that they all have their careful outlets - they have each other, they have the hunt and they have the expertise of years of practice whereas I do not.

I am wild, teetering on the edge of I don't know what most of the time. My mind is everywhere all at once. I kind of think it's always been that way but now, now I can actually keep track and go down every path at once.

From the moment I opened my eyes, everything was more. More everything, more me, more to see, more to want. I can see why it is so easy to lose track of who you were. Everything new is overwhelming and now you remember everything. Who you were is lost under a flood of newness.

I am lucky that some of my newness brings me back to myself; my history with Edward, my family, our baby. These things tether me to the world and I am grateful. I imagine that it must kind of feel like trying acid or something – which of course I would never do. The colors, the sounds, everything around me seems to expand before my eyes.

My family reassures me that this is normal. That actually I am doing extremely well for a baby vamp.

Sure, I think…

The hunting is so different than I thought it would be, in that I immediately had a new set of instincts. There is zero effort involved just a tremendous appetite and drive. None of the hang-ups I worried about as a human give me pause now.

Then there is Edward. I mentioned his previous hesitancy, his continuous worry over harming me and now I can see why. It is as of a switch of some kind was thrown in him when I was changed. And just as much as me changing, he changed too. I think he simply gave himself permission to release a part of himself that he had been holding back for a very long time. Seeing me in this form, seemed to allow him to finally accept himself.

All of my family has mentioned the change that has come over him. Carlisle especially wonders over it since vampires so rarely change. I think Edward changed long ago but didn't allow himself to express these changes. I know psychologists would have a field day with that one but I would simply rather accept it.

And what are these changes?

He is a fierce and sensual being. Even the way he moves has changed. When he enters a room, he takes charge, he commands attention. He seems taller if that can be and his eyes pierce everyone he looks at. Carlisle seems happy with this manifestations of Edward's self- acceptance and almost appears lighter himself, seeing Edward as someone who is capable of protecting our family without hesitation or worry.

Edward is now quite dominant, enjoying fighting with his brothers and even Jacob. He is not likely to back down now and likes to win.

The first time I encountered this side of him was directly after my first hunt when he simply looked at me and softly commanded "run."

I was already flying through the woods when I realized I had followed his direction without conscious thought. He gave chase, penning me to a tree when I was caught. He handled me in such a way that I had no doubt who was in control. He kept one hand on the small of my back while pulling the remains of my undergarments away from my body, entering me with all of his supernatural speed before driving his fangs into my neck.

Afterward, he shared that he had dreamed of such a tableau since we first met, all the while, knowing that such an attack would have killed me in moments.

He is most his old self with Nessie, speaking softly and patiently to her at all times. I find myself wondering if he sees the old me in her, as I watch his careful movements.

He has even made a careful peace with Jacob. Between seeing into his mind so clearly and being privy to Alice's visions of the future, he knows that they are fated.

Jacob's ill placed feelings towards me seemed to immediately sort themselves out once he saw Nessie. As he saw it, I was his link to her. His attraction to me was simply the closest he could get to the potential of her coming into being. God, it made my head hurt to think about that too much!


	2. Chapter 2

_Familialis Pacti_

 _By Penmom_

 _Chapter 2_

Alice and Jasper look at each other as they finish reading a passage in one of Carlisle's ancient books. As was sometimes the case, Alice's vision could give you a kind of backwards whiplash, like you are trying to solve a mystery from the opposite direction. Luckily, Alice heard the words "Familialis Pacti" in her vision and recognize it as Latin. From there, it was simple enough to start with Carlisle's study. The more they looked, the more distinct the visions became which was always a good clue that you were on the right path.

It had been a rough few hours since Irina had seen Nessie and taken off. With Jasper's tactical skills and Alice's gift, they had immediately gone to work to figure out the best options and chances for the family.

The Volturi were coming, that was the one thing that has held steady and there were about a thousand other variables floating in the mix too. With this last bit of information, they had their plan. No matter how unorthodox, this was the best course. They had to move fast. They had to get to South America soon but before they left there was the matter of this ceremony.

Passage:

 _In Latin, THE Familialis Pacti Roughly translated as The Family Pact in modern day English is a little understood practice within some vampire covens. The first notations of this ritual date back to Volturi records from the 7_ _th_ _Century AD. Although the behaviors involved are all instinctual to the race, the methodology of the rite may enhance the general benefits noted here. It is likely, that the ritual is a natural outgrowth from the effects observed from less ritualized practices of the same sort._

 _Historical documents indicate that the ritual fell out of favor in Western covens by the mid-15_ _th_ _Century AD. One may speculate that the main intent of the practice, the sharing of power, strength and specific vampiric talents fell out of favor as the consolidation of a Western Vampire Ruling Hierarchy came into being. Enclaves of small, closely knit covens sharing talents may have been a detriment and a threat to a centralized ruling body._

 _Specifically, covens practicing this ritual would repeat to several times a year for maximum benefit and to sustain the desired connections and overlap. While there is no supporting evidence that it is necessary, covens often engaged in the ritual or rite on Roman High Holy Days or on specific celestial events._

 _The intent of the ritual is threefold: enhance the bonds of attachment and loyalty between coven members; allow for some sharing of individual talents (although the specifics of this factor are speculative and lastly, to provide some general degree of psychic connection between coven members. How these goals are accomplished are quite simple although there_ _are several liturgical texts that may be consulted, read or quoted in more formal alterations of the rite._

 _There seems to be no evidence that any sort of incantation or magic of any sort is or has even been involved but rather simply the concrete and substantial exchange of venom across all participating members of the coven. In larger covens, there is documentation of some planning or even record keeping ensuring that all lines of connection are established, well beyond the obvious links beyond childe and sire or mate to mate. Indeed, these needs may have necessitated the more formal examples of the ritual exchanges although the specifics of the ceremony seem to be a varied as the covens who attempted it._

 _The author would be remiss if the sexual nature of venom exchange between multiple willing partners was not mentioned. This behavior is among the most intimate and arousing between any two vampires. Given the intrinsic nature of the race, one would naturally expect that some sort of sexual expression during these multiple exchanges. The nature of which would likely be regulated by anything from base instinct to the coven head's directives._


End file.
